2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer shared its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, resulting in a similar traditional SUV styling. It featured a tall hood, broad shoulders, trapezoidal wheel arches, and an upright profile reminiscent of the smaller 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille. The grille leaned forward slightly with laser-etched knurling in the slots, and the wheel centre caps had an acrylic glass covering to protect the “Wagoneer” logo. The vehicle's body-on-frame architecture allowed for independent front and rear suspension, with an aluminum hood and doors, and a composite tailgate to save weight.

Inside, the Grand Wagoneer shared styling features with the Wagoneer, such as an integrated infotainment touchscreen, a large rotary shift knob, and a two-spoke steering wheel. However, it offered more convenience features and higher-quality materials, including 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, lumbar support, and four-way power headrests. Standard heated first- and second-row seats, a heated steering wheel, and optional ventilated second-row seats added to the luxury. Nappa leather upholstery was standard, with higher-grade Palermo leather available, along with aluminum and American Walnut wood trim. Subtle differences like seat controls placed high on the doors and the “Grand Wagoneer” spelled out on the dashboard further set it apart.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare wheel, and flat hood, visually tying it to the original version and classic Series Land Rovers. While it maintained these retro elements, the design was thoroughly modern, with rounded corners for improved aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights giving it a distinct personality. The modern Defender was larger than its predecessor, enhancing interior space and ergonomics. The interior design emphasized the Defender’s rugged character, with bare metal and exposed screws in the door, complemented by metal trim for the steering wheel. The high-end Defender 90 V8 test car featured a mix of leather upholstery and suede, suitable for handling mud and dirt.

The Defender offered a more comfortable driving position with generous headroom and legroom, maintaining good outward visibility. The interior design balanced ruggedness with functionality, avoiding the all-leather approach of most luxury automakers. The Defender’s design allowed for off-road capability without compromising on-road comfort, making it a versatile choice for everyday driving. The Defender’s reputation for off-road prowess was supported by features like a 4WD system with low range, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and ample ground clearance. The optional Terrain Response 2 system and All-Terrain Progress Control further enhanced its off-road capabilities.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, delivering 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. It featured cylinder deactivation for improved fuel efficiency and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This setup allowed the Grand Wagoneer to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in approximately six seconds, impressive for its 2,900-kilogram weight. The Grand Wagoneer came standard with four-wheel drive, featuring the Quadra-Drive II system with a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. The Quadra-Lift air suspension system, standard on the Grand Wagoneer, was height-adjustable, providing up to 25.4 centimetres of ground clearance and enabling a 25-degree approach angle, 24-degree departure angle, and 22-degree breakover angle. Despite its power, the Grand Wagoneer was best driven at a stately pace, as its ride became bouncy at higher speeds, and the steering was imprecise.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains, including a base 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, a mid-level 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain with 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, and a new-for-2022 V8 engine producing 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque. The V8 could propel the Defender 90 from zero to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds, with a top speed of 240 km/h. All Defender models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case. The V8 model featured an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique transmission and suspension tuning for sportier handling. The Defender was comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and effectively blocked noise from the 22-inch tires. Its boxy shape was less susceptible to crosswinds, and it maintained good on-road driving dynamics while offering impressive off-road capabilities.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer accommodated seven passengers with standard second-row captain’s chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It offered more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than competitors like the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Infiniti QX80, though front-row space was more limited. The Grand Wagoneer provided 775 litres of cargo space with all three rows in place and 2,007 litres with the third row stowed. Folding all rear seats yielded 2,667 litres of cargo space, less than some rivals. It had a maximum towing capacity of 4,472 kilograms, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its extra weight. Standard features included a sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins. The Grand Wagoneer’s standard 360-degree camera system helped mitigate limited forward visibility.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, offering surprising comfort in the Defender 90 test vehicle. Accessing them was challenging in the two-door model, but they could be folded for more cargo space. The four-door Defender 110 model offered two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. Three-row models had 160 litres of cargo space with all seats in place, 743 litres with the third-row seat folded, and 1,826 litres with the second row folded. Two-row versions offered 786 litres with the rear seats up and 1,875 litres with the rear seats folded. The Defender’s interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard and a spacious centre-console storage bin. Optional features included a basket-style roof rack and cargo boxes for external storage.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer featured a standard infotainment system with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a McIntosh audio system, and a 4G-LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Second-row passengers had a 10.25-inch centre console touchscreen, and an optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Grand Wagoneer’s Uconnect 5 infotainment system, based on an Android operating system, supported over-the-air software updates. While the screen was sometimes slow to respond, the head-up display was clear and legible.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with a standard Pivi Pro infotainment system featuring a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all trims except the base model. An 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available for 2022. The interface was user-friendly, with distinctive graphics and menu layouts, though the screen required a firm touch to respond. A surround-view camera system was standard, with optional features including a 14-speaker Meridian audio system and head-up display.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA. Standard safety features included a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included intersection collision assist, driver-attention monitor, night vision, and traffic-sign recognition. The Active Lane Management System combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centring, with a hands-free version planned for future release.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender included standard driver-assist tech such as lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, and blind-spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control was optional. Like many luxury brands, Land Rover offered fewer standard driver-assist features compared to non-luxury brands. The Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA.